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Tech improvements enable energy conservation in the home

In this energy conscious age it has become more important than ever to ensure that between our homes, place of work, and general everyday life, we do whatever we can to keep energy usage as well as subsequent energy bills at a minimum.

High Tech home management systems

Intelligent Heating System

It’s nothing new to have your thermostat set on a timer; for example to heat your home for a couple of hours in the morning and pre-heat it ready for your return after work, however with the latest high tech thermostats you can go one better. Beyond setting a thermostat timer there has been significant development into intelligent heating systems. This encompasses the traditional timer but with sensors which can heat rooms, utilise intelligent lighting and adapt itself to your daily patterns, both during the week and at weekends.

You may have experienced intelligent lighting in public facilities, libraries or council buildings for example, in which upon entering a room a sensor will detect your movement and switch the light on accordingly. This saves energy as well as removing the time-honoured phrase ‘don’t forget to turn off the light’ because after period if inactivity it will automatically switch off.

In addition to adapting to your daily routines, there are also systems available which track the rising and setting of the sun, thereby in summer it will adapt the heater timing to reflect this. For example in the winter as the nights grow longer, inevitably you will require heat earlier to achieve an equitable temperature throughout the day so your heating system will be triggered earlier. This avoids unnecessarily turning your heating on and off at random times throughout the day.

Energy saving appliances

Eco Kettle

Modern technology is incorporated into even the most basic household appliances – from kettles that automatically switch off after boiling to eco-friendly washing machines that use a minimal amount of water and therefore heat a minimal amount which results in reduced fuel consumption – however, you don’t need to invest in expensive technology to conserve energy.

When it comes to affordable technology it’s easy to forget the old classics. Technology doesn’t have to be electronic or brand new; there have been small developments throughout the years with simple energy saving devices, such as the light bulb. One frustrating feature of older energy saving light bulbs is that they tend to be very dim after the initial turn on, however modern bulbs have a brighter filament to combat this – so whilst the will still be dim during the initial turn on they will become brighter faster than older bulbs.

A-rated appliances such as new combination boilers are an excellent way to conserve energy. Compared to some models they are up to 80% more efficient which results in substantial savings over the course of a year as well as reduced fuel consumption to produce an equivalent amount of heat. However it’s not just boilers which are A-rated, fridges, freezers and ovens can receive this rating too!

Going the extra mile

Roof Wind Farm

Although this carries quite a hefty initial investment, installing a way to generate energy within your premises could save you a substantial amount of money throughout the years, making energy conservation from traditional mains sources a thing of the past as you’ll be creating and storing your own. Perhaps the most well-known of these is the addition of solar panels. They have become increasingly popular in recent years as the design has become sleek and unobtrusive, therefore even the most design conscious home won’t object to a few roof panels to catch the sun.

With all of the newest tech and developments to existing energy conserving devices, what changes could you make within your home? Contact a specialist such as VHL London, a heating, plumbing & electrical maintenance company in the UK to see what changes you can make to make your home more energy efficient.

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